Scroll for updates . . .
Sen. Mark Udall’s opening statement:
“Also very pleased to join all of my colleagues here tonight to talk about one of the most pressing challenges confronting our nation and my state of Colorado, and that is climate change. We’ve seen in my state that this is not an obscure threat or distant problem. We’ve had catastrophic floods and mega-wildfires that’s been the result of drought, of a whole series of changes in the way that we see climate systems operate in Colorado. It’s threatening our very way of life. I have a powerful photograph here. We’ve had the past two years three successive mega-fires, and last year’s Black Forest fire brought destruction into Colorado Springs. Over 500 homes burned and we lost two lives. And this fire quickly surpassed the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire, which was the most destructive fire in Colorado history. Mr. President, now is the time to act. Now is the time to grab the opportunity to create new energy technology, to enhance our national security and, by the way, to keep faith with our children. We don’t inherit this Earth from our parents, we’re borrowing it from our children. If we don’t act on climate change we’re going to leave them a less bright future. If we do act, we create jobs we can protect the environment. And as a member of the Armed Services committee, along with the presiding officer, we can enhance our national security with these new technologies. So let’s act now. I’m here in this Congress, in this Senate to protect our way of life in Colorado. If we act now we can protect that very special way of life. Thank you, Mr. President.”